THE Philippines are counting the loss of life and homes after the rampage of Typhoon Frank last week. In floods across the country, 176 people died. A further 781 were drowned after an overloaded ferry capsized between Manila and the Visayan city of Cebu.

Typhoon Frank first struck late on Friday with maximum gusts of wind at 121mph, hitting the central Visayas region and southern island of Mindanao. By the end of Saturday, both regions had been devastated. In southern Cotabato (Mindanao), more than 40 people were drowned as the floods swept away entire villages.

In the Visayan province of Iloilo, the floods submerged whole communities, leaving 102 people dead, more than 2000 homes swept away, and some 20,000 people marooned on top of their houses. “Iloilo is like an ocean. This is the worst disaster that we have had in our history”, said the Governor, Neil Tpuaz. “Roads are impassable; so we are forced to rely on water transport and ten-wheeler trucks.”

Worse followed on Sunday when the ferry MV Princess of the Stars capsized some three miles off Subuyan Island with a loss of all but 23 persons, who struggled ashore, clinging to a capsized life raft. It appears that the ship caught the huge waves caused by Typhoon Frank. Among the victims were an estimated 400 women and children. The conditions forced the coastguards and other life-savers to look on helplessly.

At present, combined Roman Catholic and Protestant lay church workers have brought shelter and relief to survivors and victims’ relatives. All the Churches have declared this Sunday a day of prayer for the victims. Pope Benedict and other church leaders have sent messages of sympathy.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been bitterly criticised for proceeding last weekend with a trip to the United States. Among those calling on her to return home was the Most Revd Angel Lagdameo, President of the RC Bishops’ Conference, whose diocese includes devastated Iloilo. “Surely at this time of trouble, Arroyo’s priority should be solidarity with her own people, not globe-trotting across America,” he said.

The Philippines have a long history of typhoon disasters, and experience up to 25 typhoons each year. In 1987, more than 3000 people died when a ferry collided with an oil tanker just south of Manila in what was the worst-ever peacetime sea disaster.